The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-01-19
FRENcHs STATEMENTS.
Talk IN Washington TO What the Elk
Commissioner of the Pacific Roads Says.

Commissioner of the Pacific Roads Says.
Washington Special TO the Inter ocean,
The sensation of the day at the Capitol has been
the publication in the New York World of a full
page article containing what purports to be Ger
tain disclosures in connection with the expendi-
lures of money in the interests OF the Central and
Southern Pacific Railroads. The publication is
divided into two parts: ~ The noted Cotton let
tiers which were published years ago in California
at the time when Leland Stanford was making his
canvass for the United States Senate. (2) An al
legged statement Of one Thiophilus French, who
was at one time United States Commissioner OF
Railroads. The Cotton letters, of course, are not
new, and much that is contained ia
the statement OF French is not new but
the schedule of money expended, and the persons
to whom it was paid have not been pub
liShed before. The list contains a good many
names familiar to the lobby, the most frequent
being that of Charles Sheriff. recently deceased,
who numbered among his pall-bearers some Of
the most distinguished men of Washington. 1t
of Sheriff. since his death that C. P. Huntiag-
ton has written that he never expended any
money improperly in Washington. The expendi-
lures which the Central and Southern Pacific con-
sidered proper aud necessary must therefore have
been very large, as Mr.. Sherrill's name appears
with great frequency with large sums charged 10
salary account. Sometimes Mr.. Sheriff. was paid
as much as $4,000 at once. Doubtless great
many of the expenditures were made for the or
binary purposes of the railroad, which not
necessarily corrupt because people do not under
stand them. but in the long list there seemed to
be payments to a number of persons which can
not be explained except upon the theory that the
money was used in some way to assist in pro-
noting OF in preventing legislation.
This exposure has been threatened for a long
~
be explained, the publication seems to stand in a
peculiar relation to sn investigation which GER
tain members of the House Committee on Pacific
Railroads to-day endeavored to have ordered by
the House. This COMMITTEES may be very sincere
IN its desire to have the accounts of the
Pacific Railroads ovsrhauled, but the circum-
stances under which the attempt TO have an
investigation ordered has been made. and the
manner in which it is sought to have
the investigation made, have a. least given
color to the reports that the resolution
| of inquiry itself partakes somewhat OF the
| nature of stoek-jobbing operations. At all
events the most skillfUl master OF puts and calls
| could not have devised more ingenious plan for
making it certain that the market value Of the
stocks Of the Pacific Railroads should be moved
| up and down on the stock boards at the will of
| few men than that which is presented by small
majority of the House Committee on Pacific Rail-
| roads. This faction of the committee does not
propose that Congress shall make the inquiry. II
proposes that Congress shall advocate it. 1t does
| not even propose that the Interior Department,
| which is charged by the law with the supervision
| of matters relating to the land-grant rail-
| roads, shall make the investigation; but
/ It proposes that committee of
experts not connected with the Gov
| eminent or with Congress shall be appointed at
annual salaries OF s., 600 each with board, the
| resolution puts il, and travelling expenses in
elnded TO enter upon this dragnet investigation
to which no limit and bounds are given as to sub
ject matter and upon which no Limitation as to
| time is fixed. The resolution does not state that
| the appointing power is to designate the brokers
of speculative members of Congress as the persons
who shall constitute this commission of experts
to keep the Pacific Railroad securities a certain
football Of Wall street for indefinite time, but
| so far as appearances go such proposition might
as well have been inserted.
| iThere are good many ugly rumors in connec-
ton with this whole matter which are quite as
sensational in their character as the publication
| OF alleged facts and figures which has just been
given TO the press in New York. Theophilus
! French himself, who is the purported author of Il
part OF this interesting statement, went out OF the
| Office of Commissioner of Railroads after certain
/
| duct OF that Office; charges moreover, which ia
the minds of a good many persons were never
satisfactorily answered. Another curious thing
shout this movement on the part of the faction
| of the House Committee Pacific Rail
roads lies in the fact that this same COM
mittee has already reported to the House a
bill framed after many months careful ex-
animation, and as q result OF the conscientious
labors so far as the figures CO. OF some of the most
eminent Government experts who can not rest
under any possible suspicion OF stock jobbing.
This bill is not only pending, but it is before the
House. and with the previous question ordered
upon Il and all amendments from the last ses-
sion. 1t is the order OF unfinished business, sub
ect to be called up at any time by this very COM
mittee and it was supposed would have been
called up to-day when the committee came in
with this very extraordinary resolution which
has something of the smack Of the brOker-shOp
about it and which, of course, IL adopted, would
render any action upon the funding bill
absurd. For II the Government is to ap-
| point lot OF experts with d
life commission and expenses to ex.
anime the books and publish from time TO time
what they think stock is worth, and at some time
in the indefinite future to make report to Con-
gress, there would seem to be no propristy in
passing the funding bill. which proceeds, at least
| upon the assumption lnhl II eDdcteu IL WOulu DC
a final settlement of the whole business. A great
deal more will probably be heard of this curious
resolution. Meanwhile for the day it went over
without action and with the debate uncompleted,
because Of the expiration Of the morning hour.
The representatives of the Pacific Railroads have
undoubtedly been in the lobby, but, having been
there, they know very well who else has been
there and if an investigation OF this sort is to be
ordered It is not probable that the CRY "woll' viii
| be confined to one side OF the chamber.